Spring Market Awesomeness

The culmination of "The Year of Me", ie Spring Quilt Market in Portland, is officially over but for the unpacking - and with luck some fun unexpected orders and reorders from some of the cool new shops who bought me out of Taking Names and almost out of Kickin' Stash, the definite stars of the show for me. I knew I wasn't the only one who thought they were cool designs and now some new quilters west of the mighty Mississip will know it too.

But I am getting ahead of myself. First, here was Barbie's Dream Booth, Wednesday around noon.

This photo is just about life sized. Really.

Pretty, huh?

This is Barbie's Dream Booth Thursday around 6pm

Probably not a great place for those easily susceptible to sensory overload, but I never claimed to be boring and basic.

The only things that photo doesn't show about the awesomeness is how I was the brightest and most obnoxious booth in the entire row. I kid you not, it was two wool people, an earth tones batiks chick, me, then four more primitive wool people in a row. There were many moments where Kelli and Kathy and I wanted to break out in a rousing rendition of "Which of These Things is Not Like the Others." But we resisted. I mean why rub it in that we were so confident in ourselves as to stick out like sore thumbs? This one illustrates it to a tee. 

Please note the "Kickin' Stash and Taking Names" pennants flying from the cormers of the top poles. You couldn't miss seeing us even if you wanted to.

And how awesome are those lime green pole condoms? As long as I don't get a paternity suit from one of the wool women that suddenly one of their creations is batik bright purple wool, I think they probably did their job.

Thursday is always Schoolhouse day at market, which is way fun and a great way to see what the various companies are doing and offering at market. I did a schoolhouse wherein I ran out of chairs, brochures, and even SRO floor space in the room as people were spilling into the hall. It was slightly crazy! I mean, I was up against FAMOUS PEOPLE for heaven's sake. I think it was the name of my talk.

See anyone you know?

Many many thanks to Anne Wiens of Sweetgrass Creative Designs in Shelby MT, longtime FB follower who came by to meet me and ended up being pressed into service as a brochure passer outer when Kathy and Kelli, my market newbie helpers, were off being all starstruck and spooled up and forgot to show up on time. I may never forgive them.

After my SH was over and I could breathe again, we went to a presentation by Island Batik to introduce their partnership with Operation Homefront, wherein the fabrics in their new Quilted in Honor line will make quilt for veterans and portions of the proceeds will go to monetarily help them out. There were many celebs present, including Eleanor Burns, Rob Appell, Alex Anderson, and Pat Bravo. Kelli and I had discussed earlier how we had been 20something geeks back in the day who used to get up early to watch "Simply Quilts", so we were groupies who sat in the front row and accosted Alex Anderson when the SH was over. Embarassingly enough, both of us insisted we watched it on PBS, which lead her to think we were morons I am sure since it was on HGTV. She kindly posed for a photo with us anyway.

I'm certain she thought we were thisclose to being stalkers.

Friday was all about passing out brochures and hottie buttons. Kelli's goal was to hottie everyone in the place, and she came pretty close. By Saturday, we'd moved on to the goal of hottie-ing famous people, and we did pretty well.

Tula Pink.

Photo actually taken Wednesday. Buttons had not even been unpacked but her booth was right near mine; she got one Friday and wore it all weekend.

 Angela Walters

She's twelve. Maybe thirteen.

Bill Kerr

Is he not adorable?

He was a particularly exciting hottie-ing for me (actually he was hottied by Judy Damon, but she kindly came to babysit my booth while I ran over to meet him) as I have an uncle named Bill Kerr and it has always cracked me up to see his name in quilt magazines. This Bill Kerr said he has met two other Bill Kerrs as well, so it is apparently a popular name. He could not possibly have been more sweet and kind, this guy.

Valorie Wells

Yes, Jeanne LeB. I love her teeth. Plus she is just as cute in person as this photo makes her look.

Scott Hanson of GenQ - again this one was Judy, and I never actually got to meet him, but this photo just is too awesome not to share.

Hee hee. Makes me laugh.

My favorite hottiefying (Are we loving how I am conjugating that word into every form I can in this post?) is one for which I actually do not have photo documentation. But I think you will all agree with me that to hottie Rob Appell was really just to confirm what we all already knew. When he stood in my booth and happily agreed to wear a pin I really think we were within seconds of the place bursting into flame. I've linked his name to a photo of him if you don't know him.

You're welcome.

My top three other favorite moments of Market:

1. Catching up with quilty friends in person. Loved the quickie opportunities to reconnect! Jen Eskridge and Robin Koehler stopped by Sat am and it was so fun to see them both. They are both some of my favorite quilting people!

And so pretty.

2. Being scouted out by a major publisher, who came by to court me both Saturday and again on Sunday. I currently have no intention of writing a book, but that was humongo for the ego.

3. Making my best connections on the light rail train. Seriously, you just never know how or where networking works best, and that was pretty funny to me.

My plane is just about to board, so I am going to leave you and go back to reality. But not before I thank Kelli Fannin and Kathy Anderson, my fantastic and amazing helpers. Without them there is NO WAY I could have done this and I truly will love them for the rest of eternity and we will be besties forever and forever. It was so much fun to work with them and see Market through the eyes of a newbie, too.

And not before I swag brag with one final photo of my Sample Spree goodies. I'm guessing at least one of these may be used as a giveaway pretty soon, and that will be my way of sharing the Market love.

The hotel carpet really makes a lovely backdrop.

Next up - a post later in the week to let you know how long it took me to find all the items everyone lost at home while I was gone for a week. You ladies totally get it.